For your present Kodak camera, you should purchase a card reader and forget about hooking the camera to the computer. The card reader is much simpler. The computer treats it as another disk. Use Windows Explorer to move the photos from the card to the computer.
You can find inexpensive card readers here:
http://www.compgeeks.com/products.asp?cat=CAM#Flash%20Card%20Readers
The point-and-shoot Nikon 3200 and the Canon S1IS are about as different as night and day. The Canon has manual overrides for all controls and a big zoom with image stabilization.
If you want more control of your camera at times, go for the Canon. If you need more megapixels, take a look at the Konica/Minolta Z3. 4 meg, 12X zoom, image stabilization and does sound movies.
Here is what customers say about the Canon S1IS:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/read_opinions.asp?prodkey=canon_s1is
Just remember, no digital still camera will take movies as good as you get with a digital camcorder.
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I had a Kokak which hasn't worked well since I bought it 2 years ago and it stopped working right yesterday after upgrading to their latest software. The computer will not see the camera and even though I say don't delete the pics off the camera in transfer it tries to transfer to nothing and loses the images. I wanted one with at least 3Megapixels and wanted movie and sound capability. I use it only for personal use and for a website I did for a non profit. Zoom is nice but only had 3x before so not sure how much I would use it. I bought the Nikon coolpix 3200 but I find the movie is grainy. Also in the daylight the screen is hard to see. I like the size. I read allot about the Canon S1IS and heard it has great movie quality. Is the screen better outside? I want to keep the cost under 500 but would go higher in megapixels but can't find one with movie and sound. Any advice because I will need to exchange the Nikon this week if I choose something else?
Thanks.

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